System and method for reducing power consumption in an audio system by disabling filter elements based on signal level

1. An audio system comprising:

a digital audio interface configured to receive an audio signal from an audio source, the audio signal having at least one of amplitude and power;

a first filter stage and a second filter stage, the first filter stage and the second filter stage configured to filter an audio noise from the audio signal;

a first path selector communicatively coupled to at least one of the first filter stage and the second filter stage, the first path selector configured to select between a first signal path that passes the audio signal through the first filter stage and a second signal path that causes the audio signal to bypass the first filter stage, the first path selector comprising a first multiplexer configured to select between the first signal path and the second signal path to furnish the audio signal to the second filter stage; and

a controller communicatively coupled to the digital audio interface and the first path selector, the controller configured to:

compare at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal to a respective one of a first signal amplitude threshold and a first signal power threshold, wherein

when the controller determines that the at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal is above the respective one of the first signal amplitude threshold and the first signal power threshold, the controller causes the first multiplexer to select the first signal path, and

when the controller determines that the at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal is below the respective one of the first signal amplitude threshold and the first signal power threshold, the controller causes the first multiplexer to select the second signal path.

2. The audio system of claim 1 , further comprising

a second path selector communicatively coupled to the second filter stage, the second path selector configured to select between a fifth signal path that includes the first signal path and further passes an output of the first signal path through the second filter stage and a third signal path that causes the audio signal to bypass the first filter stage and the second filter stage, the second path selector comprising a second multiplexer configured to select between the fifth signal path and the third signal path;

and wherein the controller is further configured to:

compare at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal to a respective one of a second signal amplitude threshold and a second signal power threshold, wherein

when the controller determines that the at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal is above the respective one of the second signal amplitude threshold and the second signal power threshold, the controller causes the second multiplexer to select the fifth signal path, and

when the controller determines that the at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal is below the respective one of the second signal amplitude threshold and the second signal power threshold, the controller causes the second multiplexer to select the third signal path.

3. The audio system of claim 2 , comprising:

a sigma delta modulator; and

a third path selector communicatively coupled to the controller and the sigma delta modulator, the third path selector configured to select between a sixth signal path that includes the fifth signal path and further passes an output of the fifth signal path through the sigma delta modulator and a fourth signal path that causes the audio signal to bypass the first filter stage, the second filter stage, and the sigma delta modulator, the third path selector configured to supply a “zero” data to an input of the second path selector and select between the sixth signal path and the fourth signal path;

and wherein the controller is further configured to:

compare at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal to a respective one of a third signal amplitude threshold and a third signal power threshold, wherein

when the controller determines that the at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal is above the respective one of the third signal amplitude threshold and the third signal power threshold, the controller causes the first multiplexer, the second multiplexer and the third path selector to select the sixth signal path, and

when the controller determines that the at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal is below the respective one of the third signal amplitude threshold and the third signal power threshold, the controller causes the first multiplexer, the second multiplexer and the third path selector to select to select the fourth signal path.

4. The audio system of claim 3 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine an attenuation factor for the audio signal received at the digital audio interface based on a comparison of the audio signal with at least one of the first, second, and third signal amplitude thresholds, and

the audio system further comprises an attenuator communicatively coupled to the controller and the digital audio interface and the attenuator being configured to:

receive the audio signal received at the digital audio interface; and

attenuate the audio signal in accordance with the attenuation factor determined by the controller.

5. The audio system of claim 4 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

compare at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal to a respective one of the second signal amplitude threshold and the second signal power threshold, the second signal amplitude threshold being lower than the first signal amplitude threshold and the second signal power threshold being lower than the first signal power threshold, wherein

when the controller determines that the at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal is above the respective one of the second signal amplitude threshold and the second signal power threshold, the controller causes the first multiplexer to select the first signal path, and

when the controller determines that the at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal is below the respective one of the second signal amplitude threshold and the second signal power threshold, the controller causes the first multiplexer to select the third signal path.

6. The audio system of claim 5 , wherein the audio system further comprises:

a third path selector communicatively coupled to the controller, the second filter stage, and the sigma delta modulator,

wherein the controller is further configured to compare at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal to a respective one of the third signal amplitude threshold and the third signal power threshold, the third signal amplitude threshold being lower than the second signal amplitude threshold and the third signal power threshold being lower than the second signal power threshold, wherein

when the controller determines that the at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal is above the respective one of the third signal amplitude threshold and the third signal power threshold, the controller causes the first multiplexer to select the first signal path, the second multiplexer to select the fifth signal path, and the third path selector to select the sixth signal path, and

when the controller determines that the at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal is below the respective one of the third signal amplitude threshold and the third signal power threshold, the controller causes the first multiplexer to select the second signal path, the second multiplexer to select the third signal path and the third path selector to select the fourth signal path.

7. The audio system of claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second filter stages comprises at least one digital signal processing (DSP) core filter.

8. The audio system of claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second filter stages comprise at least one first infinite impulse response (IIR) filter.

9. The audio system of claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second filter stages comprises a cascaded integrator-comb (CIC) filter.

10. The audio system of claim 1 , wherein the controller comprises an expander.

11. A method for processing an audio signal comprising:

receiving an audio signal from an audio source, the audio signal having at least one of amplitude and power, at a digital audio interface of an audio system comprising a first filter stage and a second filter stage, the first filter stage and the second filter stage configured to filter a noise from the audio signal;

selecting between a first signal path that passes the audio signal through the first filter stage and a second signal path that causes the audio signal to bypass the first filter stage at a first path selector communicatively coupled to at least one of the first filter stage and the second filter stage, the first path selector comprising a first multiplexer configured to select between the first signal path and the second signal path to furnish the audio signal to the second filter stage;

comparing at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal at a controller communicatively coupled to the digital audio interface and the first path selector to a respective one of a first signal amplitude threshold and a first signal power threshold;

selecting the first signal path when the controller determines that the at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal is above the respective one of the first signal amplitude threshold and the first signal power threshold; and

selecting the second signal path when the controller determines that the at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal is above the respective one of the first signal amplitude threshold and the first signal power threshold.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises:

determining an attenuation factor for the audio signal received at the digital audio interface based on a comparison of the audio signal with at least the first signal amplitude threshold; and

attenuating the audio signal received at the digital audio interface in accordance with the determined attenuation factor at an attenuator.

13. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

selecting between a fifth signal path that includes the first signal path and further passes an output of the first signal path through the second filter stage and a third signal path that causes the audio signal to bypass the first filter stage and the second filter stage at a second path selector communicatively coupled to the second filter stage, the second path selector comprising a second multiplexer configured to select between the fifth signal path and the third signal path;

comparing at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal at the controller to a respective one of a second signal amplitude threshold and a second signal power threshold, the second signal amplitude threshold being lower than the first signal amplitude threshold, and the second signal power threshold being lower than the first signal power threshold;

selecting the fifth signal path when the controller determines that the at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal is above the respective one of the second signal amplitude threshold and the second signal power threshold; and

selecting the third signal path when the controller determines that the at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal is below the respective one of the second signal amplitude threshold and the second signal power threshold.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

selecting between a sixth signal path that includes the fifth signal path and further passes an output of the fifth signal path through a sigma delta modulator and a fourth signal path that causes the audio signal to bypass the first filter stage, the second filter stage, and the sigma delta modulator at a third path selector communicatively coupled to the controller and the sigma delta modulator, the third path selector configured to supply a “zero” data to an input of the second path selector and select between the sixth signal path and the fourth signal path;

comparing at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal at the controller to a respective one of a third signal amplitude threshold and a third signal power threshold, the third signal amplitude threshold being lower than the second signal amplitude threshold, and the third signal power threshold being lower than the second signal power threshold;

selecting the sixth signal path when the controller determines that the at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal is above the respective one of the third signal amplitude threshold and the third signal power threshold; and

selecting the fourth signal path when the controller determines that the at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal is below the respective one of the third signal amplitude threshold and the third signal power threshold.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein one of the first and second filter stages comprises at least one digital signal processing (DSP) core filter.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein one of the first and second filter stages comprise at least one first an infinite impulse response (IIR) filter.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein one of the first and second filter stages comprises a cascaded integrator-comb (CIC) filter.

18. An audio system comprising:

a digital audio interface configured to receive an audio signal from an audio source, the audio signal having at least one of amplitude and power;

a first filter stage and a second filter stage, the first filter stage and the second filter stage configured to filter an audio noise from the audio signal;

at least one path selector communicatively coupled to at least one of the first filter stage and the second filter stage, the at least one path selector configured to select between a first signal path that passes the audio signal through the first filter stage and the second filter stage, a second signal path that causes the audio signal to bypass the first filter stage and pass through the second filter stage, and a third signal path that bypasses the first filter stage and the second filter stage, the at least one path selector comprising at least one multiplexer configured to select the first signal path, the second signal path, or the third signal path;

a controller communicatively coupled to the digital audio interface, the controller configured to:

compare at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal to a respective one of a first signal amplitude threshold, a second signal amplitude threshold, a first signal power threshold, and a second signal power threshold, the second signal amplitude threshold and the second signal power threshold being lower than the first signal amplitude threshold and the first signal power threshold respectively and wherein

when the controller determines that the at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal is above the respective one of the first signal amplitude threshold and the first signal power threshold, the controller causes the at least one multiplexer to select the first signal path,

when the controller determines that the at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal is below the respective one of the first signal amplitude threshold and the first signal power threshold and above the second signal amplitude threshold and the second signal power threshold, the controller causes the at least one multiplexer to select the second signal path,

when the controller determines that the at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal is below the respective one of the second signal amplitude threshold and the second signal power threshold, the controller causes the at least one multiplexer to select the third signal path.

19. The audio system of claim 18 , wherein the at least one path selector is configured to:

select between a fifth signal path that includes the first signal path and further passes an output of the first signal path through a sigma delta modulator, and a fourth signal path that bypasses the first filter stage, the second filter stage, and the sigma delta modulator, the at least one path selector comprising the at least one multiplexer configured to select one of the fifth signal path, and the fourth signal path; and

wherein the controller is further configured to:

compare at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal to a respective one of a third signal amplitude threshold, and a third signal power threshold, the third signal amplitude threshold and the third signal power threshold being lower than the second signal amplitude threshold and the second signal power threshold respectively and wherein

when the controller determines that the at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal is above the respective one of the third signal amplitude threshold and the third signal power threshold, the controller causes the at least one multiplexer to select the fifth signal path,

when the controller determines that the at least one of the amplitude or the power of the audio signal is below the respective one of the third signal amplitude threshold and the third signal power threshold, the controller causes the at least one multiplexer to select the fourth signal path.

20. The audio system of claim 18 , wherein the controller is further configured to:

determine an attenuation factor for the audio signal received at the digital audio interface based on a comparison of the audio signal with at least one of the first and second signal amplitude thresholds, and the audio system further comprises an attenuator communicatively coupled to the controller and the digital audio interface and the attenuator being configured to:

receive the audio signal received at the digital audio interface; and

attenuate the audio signal in accordance with the attenuation factor determined by the controller,

a first path selector communicatively coupled to the controller and at least one of the first filter stage and the second filter stage, the first path selector being configured to generate the selected one of the first and second signal paths.